1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to hydrofoil assemblies of the type secured to the lower part of a marine outboard engine or outdrive.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Hydrofoils are employed by many boaters for providing faster planing, increased control, and reduced bow rise. Steering response is quickened in most watercraft through the use of such devices, and fuel savings may be obtained.
A number of different hydrofoil designs have been proposed for use with watercraft. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,995,840, 5,048,449 and 5,138,966 disclose various hydrofoil constructions, all of which are mounted to the anticavitation plate of a vessel when in use.
A hydrofoil having a plurality of torque control rudders is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 07/773,678 filed Oct. 7, 1991, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The hydrofoil includes a recessed edge which is adapted for mounting directly or indirectly to an anticavitation plate. The orientation of the hydrofoil with respect to the motor post can be varied in order to select the amount of torque control being provided by the rudders.
While the hydrofoils described above function acceptably, some boat owners are reluctant to use them as they require drilling holes in the anticavitation plate. People owning brand new boats may be particularly reluctant to drill such holes. A need accordingly exists for allowing boat owners to take advantage of the benefits of hydrofoils without having to deface a portion of their boats.
The anticavitation plates of some engines have edges which are not conducive to receiving the recessed edges of hydrofoils, even if drilled. If such hydrofoils could be mounted to these engines, they too could benefit.